For a number of years my Salomon Pocket Rockets (known under a number of aliases on Epic such as blue noodles, popsicle sticks, etc.), mounted with Freeride AT bindings, were my primary ski both in-bounds and out-of-bounds. They have now been relegated to back-country and or boot packing/carrying ski status.

I fully admit to not being an expert in spite of my NASTAR times (best in state due to only woman in state skiing NASTAR at my advanced age). Trees worry me -- for some reason not being able to see what is around the other side of that tree concerns me. Bumps I have a preference for certain types (not the huge icy Volkswagen type). Powder more than a foot deep I find challenging, but have never lost a ski and had to go looking for it. And there is a certain speed above which all my brains start screaming, "If you fall NOW, you'll DIE!". In spite of all these fears, I try to do most things eventually (won't jump off a cliff anymore than I'd jump off my deck, though).

As a full-fledged member of the 'friends of gravity' club, I think I qualify for this group too. For me, out-of-bounds applies to stuff that happens on the football field, and bumps? Just look at my ankles and shins sometime!

I am going to nominate myself because I don't ski that much...As you can see from my profile I live at the beach...People who live so far away can't get very good at (snow)skiing.

I tried three "pipes" and did ok with them...but I didn't see what the big deal was...The pipes I went in was the one at Haystack (VT) that goes under the road.....the one at Wintergreen that goes under the road and the one in Vail that takes you back to the ski school hill under a trail at Golden Peak...None were too much fun and REALLY NOISY in there !

can I joine the group? I spend most of my time on Western NY "mole hills" and since I race I don't know how to have fun while I ski. I detest the sport and Im planning on being a beginner snowboarder in the near future, just because I can't imagine having as much fun as all the Highway Stars on the mountain. I also see myself as a supporter of this group to keep them from being attacked by all of the "other" experts out there. I don't own Metrons, but I do own 4 pairs of slalom skis, and a pair of Xscreams.
Later
GREG

I know I am in. When I went to buy my first set of skis I convinced myself I would get the best deal on skis regardless. I walked out with 188 Elan stillettos for 90 bucks and marker bindings. Needless to say at places like Hunter mountain in NY lots of people laughed at me. I skied on those womens skis for two years. I still feel they were the best deal on skis I may ever see, I loved skiing them.

Is there something about Pocket Rockets that help to qualify? If so then I might be in. I have been skiing PR's inbounds for a couple of years, had lots of fun on the groomed slopes of Park City and Deer Valley. Maybe it is permitted because I ski a lot of crud at Crystal Mountain, WA.

Then I got a second pair of PR's this summer and put Naxo touring bindings on them. I guess this would make me a real Noodler (capital 'N"). I am not a hucker or a downhill racer... I just noodle down the hill... ha ha..

Non-Expert Club

I feel much better being in "the" club. I have felt really out of sorts for not having the necessary prerequisites to take part in the high level experts threads. Some of this inside leg first stuff just absolutely confuses me into stupors of technicalities - ugh. JUST DO IT. SO being recognized as a club member of this non expert group of skiers is a real honor. I still hesitate at the top of chair 23 before I get into Drop Out, check for NO ICE on the backsidce of Headwall at Squaw and make sure theres enough snow in one man chute at Kirkwood. I refuse to ski the top steeps of any mountain in the ice AND when I get lost and find myself on a steep slope I DO NOT think about my inside ski and which turns first (femor, knee or ankle) I just hang on and go for it. I'M not an expert just a very avid skier (for 40 years) and to really help with my membership application I own Atomic Metron B5 ski's and love them. Its snowing in Northern Idaho as I enter this app for a great club.